(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
(ii) Related Art
Image forming apparatuses, such as printers, copying machines, and facsimile machines, that use an image recording method such as an electrophotographic method or an electrostatic recording method generally form an image by transferring a developer image onto a recording medium, such as a sheet of recording paper. The developer image is formed by developing, with developer, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a latent image carrier, such as a photoconductor. Such an image forming apparatus includes a cleaning device that cleans a surface of the latent image carrier after the transferring process by bringing a plate-shaped cleaning member, such as a rubber blade, into contact with the surface and scraping off the developer that remains on the surface after the transferring process.